Cayuga Medical Center Breaks Local Record with Heaviest Newborn

Shawn Jr, a baby boy weighing 5.9 kilograms (13 pounds), was born at Cayuga Medical Center, part of Cayuga Health, on January 31. This marks the heaviest baby ever delivered at the Ithaca-based hospital.

The newborn's parents, Terrica and Shawn, had anticipated a larger-than-average baby but were taken aback by the scale. The baby's weight is close to double that of an average infant, requiring special care and clothing.

Cayuga Medical Center's medical staff described the delivery as uncommon but carefully managed. Larger babies can require additional planning and monitoring, though the hospital indicated the birth proceeded safely.

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The hospital shared a photograph on Facebook, which attracted widespread attention. The image showed Shawn Jr lying beside another infant born on the same day, Margot, who weighed 1.8 kilograms (approximately 4 pounds). The contrast between the two newborns was striking.

Cayuga Medical Center officials reiterated that their teams are trained to care for both very small and very large babies. Safety and wellbeing remain the priority in every case.

Shawn Jr's birth sets a local benchmark, but it does not approach the largest baby recorded globally. According to Guinness World Records, the heaviest documented newborn weighed 9.97 kilograms and was born in Italy in 1955.